1998 Chevrolet Suburban Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Suburban years
- More complaints than other years 14th of 30 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 201 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Chevrolet Suburban. That ranks 14th out of 30 Suburban model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (57 complaints, 28%), typically at around 60,595 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 3 fires, 8 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 201owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Chevrolet Suburban problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 57 | 28% | 60,595 | “stopping distance” (12%) | — |
| Visibility | 48 | 24% | 74,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 21 | 10% | 72,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 19 | 9% | 72,574 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 17 | 8% | 54,598 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 14 | 7% | 95,445 | — | — |
| Suspension | 14 | 7% | 301 | — | — |
| Tires | 14 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 11 | 5% | 79,764 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 2% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 5 | 2% | 72,083 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 1% | 83,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1% | 182,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | 83,000 | — | — |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Chevrolet Suburban recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Visibility:rearview mirrors/devices:exterior
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles, mini vans, and pickup trucks may develop a short circuit in the electric outside rearview mirror switch.
Risk: If this were to happen, it could result in an inoperative switch, heat damage to the driver's door, and/or ignition of components in the driver's door and a subsequent vehicle fire without prior warning.
Fix: Dealers will install a fused jumper harness to the electric outside rearview mirror switch. Owner notification began on april 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or gmc at 1-800-462-8782.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor
Problem: Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. One or both front brake rotor/hubs were built with an out-of-specification gray iron that can fail during the life of the vehicle.
Risk: If a driver continues to drive with a cracked rotor, the cracks could continue around the wheel mounting bolt circle and ultimately result in a wheel separation.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rotors for a core date of "287" and, if found, replace the rotor.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Erratic power steering assist while driv (EA99011) — opened May 12, 1999, closed Feb 27, 2001.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Brake line failed after med to heavy braking, leaving little to no brake as pedal went to the floor.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet suburban. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 mph, the brake pedal failed. The contact mentioned that the abs and the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician stated the abs sensor, the inner…
I purchased on 11/1997 a new 1998 chevrolet suburban 3/4 ton 2500 series. The suburban has 38,528 original miles and has been garage kept since new. The vehicle has been used primarily as a secondary vehicle for recreational purposes. The suburban has been driven in snow conditions only 12-14…
1. Hard stop to avoid hitting wildlife. Going approximately 40 mph. 2. After the brakes holding for a second or two the pedal dropped to the floor. After that only 1/4 brake power. Once home, observed brake fluid coming from corroded brake lines. 3. I will need to review cost of service. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet suburban. The driver's side linkage connection between the door latch assembly and the interior driver's side handle was defective. Chevrolet stated that there was no recall for this failure. The mechanic stated that there were warranty alerts on the doors…
Other Chevrolet Suburban years
← 1997 Suburban · 1999 Suburban →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Suburban | 44 | 1 |
| 2023 Suburban | 130 | 3 |
| 2022 Suburban | 124 | 4 |
| 2021 Suburban | 200 | 12 |
| 2020 Suburban | 44 | 4 |
| 2019 Suburban | 78 | 3 |
| 2018 Suburban | 84 | 4 |
| 2017 Suburban | 141 | 5 |
| 2016 Suburban | 220 | 6 |
| 2015 Suburban | 430 | 11 |
| 2014 Suburban | 59 | 3 |
| 2013 Suburban | 118 | 4 |
| 2012 Suburban | 101 | 4 |
| 2011 Suburban | 148 | 3 |
| 2010 Suburban | 117 | 3 |
| 2009 Suburban | 106 | 5 |
| 2008 Suburban | 213 | 4 |
| 2007 Suburban | 292 | 4 |
| 2006 Suburban | 23 | 1 |
| 2005 Suburban | 129 | 6 |
| 2004 Suburban | 204 | 4 |
| 2003 Suburban | 301 | 5 |
| 2002 Suburban | 286 | 2 |
| 2001 Suburban | 440 | 6 |
| 2000 Suburban | 282 | 8 |
| 1999 Suburban | 634 | 1 |
| 1998 | 201 | 2 |
| 1997 Suburban | 414 | 2 |
| 1996 Suburban | 360 | 3 |
| 1995 Suburban | 457 | 6 |
See all Chevrolet Suburban problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Chevrolet Suburban?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, visibility, steering problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 57 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Chevrolet Suburban?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Chevrolet Suburban a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Suburban model years, the 1998 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.